Changes with more to come . . .

Well, according to CNN the Senate will be trimming the stimulus package with two of the cuts being $600 million from Title 1 and $16 billion from school construction. Though we would have received $150,000 for school construction, this cut might might make sense. To simply allocate billions with all districts receiving a percentage doesn't make much sense in the absence of knowing needs and short and long term construction plans. Some districts were in line to receive millions at the same time that they are in declining enrollment and have no identified needs. If this were to become a part of the stimulus plan I believe that it needs much more thought and a better process for identifying individual district needs. It makes more sense to give allocations to each state and allow them to distribute based on need than a per district allocation model.

What might prove to be more problematic is the $40 billion cut in state grants that would have given states flexibility to deal with their economic issues. Some of that funding may have resulted in fewer cuts to education as our state faces increasing deficits. Things should get interesting as Nancy Pelosi vows to fight to keep the House version of the stimulus package. It would be interesting to have a chair at the Senate/House conference committee with the task to reach consensus on this package. Throw in our new President and it could be fun.